Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-10-21

"What became of this mani He was con-
demned, was he not"
ayes, but most unjustly; and he was killed
a year or so afterward while trying to escape
from the galleys."
Her head dropped and she would have
fallen to the floor without his aid.
at is nothing; slight giddiness. There
are some recollectons that are very painful
in every life," said She There was n silence
of some moments. Then she resumed:
$50 you will not accord me the happiness
of my SOM"
He made no answer. He was passing in re-
view all that dreadful past with its tragic
history. He tried to think whether lie would
not he in some sort repairing his wrong
toward Lucien if he gave his only child to
Lucien's son. Strange fatality that brought
Julia to his feet TO supplicate the happiness Of
her best loved son at his hands. Was he not
in honor bound to give his sole treasure into
the keeping of another's hands, smothering
his own grief, to restore little brightness in
the home he had left desolate? He decided
and his nervous march ceased, and he stood
before Julia with his face set and white as
must have been those of the saints and
martyrs.
at shall be as my daughter desires" And
then he sent a servant to bring Suzanne to
him.
Suzanne" said he, team you divine the
reason for which have called youl'
II am sure cannot" answered She, trying
to smile unconcernedly.
Consult your heart, my child. Is there
anything you desiref
"Nothing, father, but your love-"
She knew now, and felt that the battle she
had fondly supposed ended had but begun.
And then she continued:
81 do not quite seize your meaning; but l
have no secrets from you, and want nothing
that you cannot give me-"
"Suzanne, Nine. De Noirville has COM here
today to ask my consent to your marriage
with her son Raymond. l have told her that
it should be for you to decide. What do you
answeri"
81 have told you often, father, that 1 do
not wish to marry l have not changed my
mind"
al shall not always be with you, my child.
1 may die, and you will be left alone without
protection or friends"
Il have told you, father, l never wish to
marry"
"Tell me, my dear child, do you love any
one elsea Be perfectly frank with me. If
there is another whom you love III your heart,
tell your father, my dear"
"Oh, father, th0t is most unknd! | never
loved any one us well as DO you, and never
shall Please say no more about it, for 1 shall
never change"
There was such an accent of determination
i'll this that Rogers thoughts flow back
instantly to the time when this child had
maintained in the faceSf everything that she
'knew nothing; saw nothing" and he gave
up the attempt to alter her decision.
"This is strange" said her father.
Nine. de Noirville, desperate, thought OF
Raymond. SIS this your last word. Have
you no pity even for him, for his mother,
whose happiness is bound up in hiss'
Il am truly sorry" said Suzanne, "but
cannot change my resolution, which Las been
taken long since"
Julia returned home with her heart in
tumult She had failed. Pierre took her
melancholy air as the death blow to his hopes,
and only asked hoarsely:
"Wellm
"She loves another"
No one saw Kim again that night. Ray
mond did not know what had taken place
for several days after
After Julia had gone Roger thought to
himself; "Who can tell what is in a young
girls heart?" and he was vaguely uneasy for
two reasons One was he feared she had
loved some one in America, and hiding that
love i'll her heart was bound to suffer in 81
lence all her life, for he knew the quiet per-
sistency of her character; and the other
thought was that she might not have forgot
ten that awful time, and that she felt that
all doors to happiness were closed TO her for
ever. But how to discover? How dared he
break the silencel
| Still he could question her more fully, more
tenderly and alone. Perhaps she would tell
him, but no, the answer was always tho
same. She loved no one so well as he and
she was determined to never marry.
Almost out Of patience with her, he at last
said, brusquely: keep your secret. We
will speak no more of marriage, but | may
say that you have bitterly disappointed me-
and he left her with her eyes full of tears and
outstretched hands which he affected not to
| see.
The lives of all in the two families contin-
ued the same for a few days without new
incident Father and daughter avoided each
other much as it was possible, and when
! they were together there was no allusion
made to the demand of Nine. de Noirville,
though their thoughts ran often upon the
| subject.
Nine. de Noirville had finally told Ray
| HlOlu Vi lue Slep SIG ndu taken, anu III ilIS
he was inclined to reproach her for her UNI
fortunate errand, undertaken without his
knowledge. The answers of Suzanne to her
fathers questions aroused in him the demon
of jealousy, and at last he could bear 10
more. II must know, must know" he cried
and rushed Off through the woods and into
the park, in the blind hope of finding her who
filled lis thoughts. Nowhere in the parl;
could he find Suzanne, and half himself he
approached the house, feeling that alone and
| single handed he could storm a fortress for
! the sake of seeing her. Drawn by invisible
attraction, he went to the large green house
where Suzanne was walking listlessly among
the plants. He reached her side and held
out his hands in silence. She saw that his
face was drawn and haggard with suffering
and her whole heart cried out for him, and
she gave him her hand
Suzanne! Suzanne! ! have had horrible
thoughts. / could bear them no longer. What
is this obstacle between usl ] have a right tc
know Your silence leaves me in The black
shadow of doubt; and forgive me, Suzanne